Redemption [Sweet Pea x OC]

Chapter 20

I watched curiously, looking over Sweet Pea's shoulder as Jughead made his way to the front of the bar. "I have an announcement to make," he said, getting everyone's attention. "My dad's getting out. And when he does, I'll bring him up to speed about my plans with Mayor McCoy."

I shook my head, shrugging at Fangs and Sweet Pea as they gave me questioning looks. I had no idea what Jughead's plan was, he and I had been avoiding each other for the past week.

"That's brilliant," Tall Boy said.

"Do you have a problem with that, Tall Boy?" Jughead asked.

"Your old man? No," he replied, walking towards Jughead, who managed to stand his ground and not look too intimidated. "I got no problem with him. But you want us to sit down with the mayor."

Jughead nodded. "I do, he's right," he said, looking around at all of us. "I think we can bring the Southside back. But it's going to take work, and it's going to take compromise."

"Bring the Southside back," Tall Boy said, laughing. "You've been here all of five minutes."

"Tall Boy, I am sick of you acting like a little bitch," Jughead snapped, "whispering behind my back that I'm half a Serpent or that I don't belong here." He looked at me as he said the last part. "Why don't we put it to a vote? If you guys think what I'm doing is wrong, I'll step aside."

"All those who stand with Jughead and think that Tall Boy should shut the hell up..." Toni said, standing and raising a hand. Serpents raised their hands throughout the room, myself included. He hadn't cared to share any of the details, but maybe his Northside connections could come in handy getting the pressure taken off us.

Tall Boy glared at everyone before storming off. Jughead nodded in thanks before leaving for the night, avoiding my gaze.

"Okay, what's going on with you two?" Toni asked, joining us at our table.

"Yeah, you've been avoiding each other like the plague," Fangs added.

"Jones said something he shouldn't have and I threw my knife at him," I said, not looking at any of them.

"Man, I wish I could have seen that," Sweet Pea grinned while Fangs choked on his beer.

"I wasn't aiming to hit him," I reassured Toni who was looking at me disapprovingly.

"So, does anyone know when FP is actually getting out?" she asked, changing the subject.

We all shook our heads and the conversation drifted in other directions.

The next few days passed quickly, and I found myself standing outside what appeared to be an abandoned house just outside Riverdale's town limits per Penny's orders.

"Welcome to the new House of the Dead," Verne called, coming around the corner.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "I get the new part, but where's the improvement? This place looks worse than your old lair."

"Not all of us can have fancy digs like you Serpents," Verne replied. "Come on, I'll show you."

I reluctantly followed him inside for a tour. The Ghoulies had wasted no time setting up their Jingle Jangle lab, and from the looks of it, they'd taken advantage of the larger house.

"As you can see, Doll, that street race actually worked to our advantage," Verne said. "We may have agreed not to sell at Southside High anymore, but nothing was said about the rest of Southside. Business is booming."

I rolled my eyes, wondering how Jughead hadn't seen that loophole. "And yet there's still going to be payback at some point, isn't there?" I asked, taking the bottle he offered.